Skin cancer cream cleared

By REBECCA WALSH

A cream to treat superficial skin cancers has been approved for use in New Zealand.

Aldara (imiquimod cream) is an alternative to traditional treatments, which involve surgery or freezing lesions off.

Dr Nic Horridge, market development manager for 3M NZ, which has run the clinical trials in New Zealand, said the cream had been approved by Medsafe, the Government drug regulation agency, to treat superficial skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma) and precancerous sun spots (actinic keratosis).

The Cancer Society says New Zealand has about 45,000 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer a year.

Dr Horridge said the cream had to be prescribed by a GP or dermatologist and was not subsidised. It cost about $160 for a 12-sachet box.